Posts by NanaR

89

Describe In 1 Word How You Now Feel About Your Life Right Now

by minimus in

jw
friends

A Brief look at the "question box" September 2007 KM

by AK - Jeff in

here is the text of the box.

could someone please confirm that it is correct, as i garnered this cut and paste from a non-witness locale, and have no way to confirm that it has not been altered.. question box.

* does "the faithful and discreet slave" endorse independent groups of witnesses who meet together to engage in scriptural research or debate?matt.

I've read about this on several forums, and even with my personal experience with the WTS I find it amazing that they have actually gone this far. It certainly marks a tightening of the mind control and makes them much more "cultish".

My father, who served as a pioneer, congregation servant, elder, etc., etc., had a large library including many Bible Commentaries and many different Bible translations. Scholarly discussions were welcome when I was growing up. I should also mention that my father had a college education.

My dad stepped down as an elder in the mid-1980s. He never gave us a reason; I think the reason he gave the congregation was my mother's health. I have always wondered what his REAL reason was.

Dad died in 1991. He never heard about the loosening of the ban on college, or the revision of the "generation" doctrine.

If there are any people like my Dad still in this organization, I don't see how they could remain at this point. Ruling out all outside research on the Bible should be a red flag like no other. My sister is still "in", I don't know how this will affect her. I don't think she is much inclined to research (probably the reason she's still JW), she just does what she's told.

I hope this causes people to run for their lives to get away from the Watchtower.

Ruth

12

My first Church communion this morning...

by AK - Jeff in

as i have stated, religion is not a big part of my [our] life now.

but we remain very spiritual.

not the uppity self-righteous type now though.

NanaR

Jeff:

I'm glad you had a good experience!!

I have a number of good friends who attend a Disciples of Christ - First Christian Church. The Church broadcasts its services. I used to watch them on television occasionally, even before I "left" the Witnesses. I was impressed by their reverent solemnity.

Yes, there is a world of difference between a true worship service and a meeting at the KH. Many Christians would not recognize what the JWs do as worship at all -- but merely instruction.

Peace,

Ruth

93

A NEW Flock book has been released, with notes by a Presiding Overseer

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

for several years there has been available a pay attention to yourselves and to the flock book in pdf and html format.

this book has proven to be extremely valuable in exposing the morally questionable activities of the watchtower society.

now we have a new version that is even more valuable because it contains the hand-written notes of a presiding overseer, some notes as recent as late 2005. these notes are frequently dictated to elders by a circuit overseer or district overseer in order to avoid liability (the wts can deny every giving such instructions).

NanaR

I'm getting a "website maintenance" message on both. :-(

Ruth

39

For Those That Married JW, Did You Have Sex Before Your Wedding?

by Good Girl or Bad Girl? in

i'm sure this has been covered before.

i'm wondering, though, how many who got married as a jehovah's witness actually waited for their wedding day?

it's for a "good cause," namely my peace of mind.

NanaR

Nope.

Ruth

49

What Have You Purchased Thru The Internet?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i'm not a big fan of internet shopping.

what about you?

NanaR

Hey min,

Computer components -- New Egg rocks :-)

Wedding and birthday and baby and holiday presents for people who live out of town -- they can be delivered directly to the recipient.

Books -- can get them sent to work so hubby doesn't see them *wink* Also I have gotten copies of out of print books from the internet.

Software and computer games -- I download them and also order the backup CDs.

I also use online banking to pay all my household bills, check the status of my bank accounts, etc. I have paid my income taxes online for several years.

Ruth

46

You Need To Give Credit To The Society For Your Education

by The wanderer in

jw
friends

you need to give credit to the society for your education.the watchtower and awake magazines have been helping individuals receive a g.e.d .

or high school diploma.

where did you learn the art of public speaking?

NanaR

I do not believe it is a coincidence that I became inactive as a JW at about the same time I started learning critical thinking skills in college (I started college almost 26 years after I finished high school).

I am constantly discovering things I believed I "knew" -- believed to be fact -- that were not fact at all.

Also, writing research papers in college taught me that when one quotes a source, one needs to do so "in context" and provide full information regarding the original source. Sources that are quoted need to be available somewhere so a person reading your research can check your source if they wish. If one is quoting from an older source that may not be available to many, one needs to make the reader aware of that.

I learned the art of manipulating conversations from the Watchtower, and the art of manipulating the truth. I don't use either "art" now, as I prefer honest discussion and openness.

I learned to read before I went to school. My father read to me constantly. But that wasn't the Society -- that was my Dad.

The art of "finding the right answer" that I learned from the JWs was slightly helpful in my studies, when it was necessary to "parrot" an answer back to a teacher. Thankfully, most college professors do not want a classroom full of parrots, they want adults with critical thinking skills.

I give the Society credit for delaying my education by 26 years. That was ENTIRELY their doing.

Ruth

19

Can a JW be a Notary Public?

by Wordly Andre in

i am not sure how it is in other states but in california you have to raise your right hand and take the oath of office, in that oath you swear or affirm to the best of your ability, preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the united states and the laws of the united states so help me god.

is there a conflict for jw's on this?

jw do not serve in public offices, a notary by law is a public office, due to the fact that you swear to protect and defend the constitution you are saying that you are allies with the united states.

NanaR

Andre,

I don't know about now, but back in the late 70s, early 80s I was a Notary Public. I was a legal secretary and being a Notary Public was a requirement of my job.

Other dubs knew I was a notary, because they would ask me to notarize stuff for them.

JWs can be lawyers, if they ignore the GB and go to college *hah* or in the case of lawyers who convert to JWism.

Don't know about the oaths -- don't remember what oath I had to take in KY all those years ago to become an NP.

*smiles*

Ruth

18

"hacking" the wt lib and results

by DeusMauzzim in

i just remembered i found a way to map the citation of bible chapters in the watchtower library (representing 30 years of wt literature).

the results are quite interesting.. higher number means more citations of that chapter in the wt literature of the last 30 years.

as you can see there are a few favorites .

NanaR

No hacking is required to find the amount of scripture read in Catholic services:

http://catholic-resources.org/Lectionary/Statistics.htm

Ruth

25

pray for my uncle--blood issue

by Junction-Guy in

jw
friends

my great uncle found out last week that he has to have triple bypass surgery.

he was raised a jw back in the 1930's and 1940's, but left and joined the navy.

approximately 8 years ago he started studying again.

NanaR

Dave,

I will pray for your uncle.

Ruth